No more drug test among school kids

There will be no drug test to be conducted in schools because requiring students as young as 10 years old to undergo a mandatory drug test violates existing laws.

“The Department of Education stated it, so we have to abide. Sila ang policymaker, we just offered it kung gusto ng administrator. We will not force the issue. We support PDEA, pero pag sinabi ng DepEd nga dili, ngano man kami mangita og gubot?” Chief Superintendent Debold Sinas, director of Police Regional Office (PRO)-7 said.

Sinas said the drug test could be a good preventive measure but the trauma that the children may experience should also be considered.

“Sa perspective sa preventive better. Pero tama ra man sad siguro kay kung bata ka baka ma-trauma,” he said.

Sinas did not discount the possibility that drugs may have penetrated the schools.

Recently, six young male students were caught using drugs at the Cebu City Sports Center.

The proposal to conduct drug test in schools came from PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino.

However, it was criticized by a number of people and organizations.

The proposal was seen unconstitutional since Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 only allows random drug testing for students in secondary and tertiary levels.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said that if PDEA pushes for the proposal, it needs a nod from the Supreme Court.

Human rights groups deemed the move unnecessary since it may cause psychological harm to children.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan had said the proposal was “an admission that the brutal government, war on drugs is ineffective.”

On the other hand, Sen. Sonny Angara said that instead of wasting P2.8 billion of the government’s budget to cover the 14 million students aged between 10 and 12 or students in Grade 4 to 6, PDEA should concentrate on effective educational programs to address drug problem in the grass-root level.